Dissertation Creation - The UK's original provider of custom dissertations and dissertation help...

Free Dissertations - English Literature Dissertations

A Study Of The Transgressive Nature Of Cross-dressing In Comedies Of William ...

Abstract

This paper, through an examination of the Shakespearean comedies As You Like It (AYLI), The Merchant of Venice (MOV), and Twelfth Night (TN), will detail the transgressive nature of female cross-dressing. Aspects studied will include the motive in cross-dressing of major female protagonists, the degree of homoeroticism explored, as well as the empowerment of said protagonists within the framework of the patriarchy in existence throughout the Elizabethan Era. Topics addressed will include the degree of the threat posed by female cross-dressing, the nature of cross-dressing, observed motives, and how the act of cross-dressing fits into the play's climax and resolution. Through careful consideration of critical works and each respective play's plot and content, what will be established is the non-threatening employment of the subversive female figure as a dramatic device to instigate and later abate social tension. Determining the degree of subversion will include a comparison of theatrical dynamics among the three comedies, taking in to consideration the end product of female characters' cross-dressing along with the degree of subversion, deceit, and the calamity caused by it. Examination of the Shakespearean works, along with critical sources, will aid in the conclusion that while female protagonists pose threats to the Elizabethan audience, the restoration to sexual convention at the close of each play proves that the cross-dressing poses an almost non-existent transgression against what was then defined as socially-acceptable values.

Introduction

The era of Elizabethan theatre heralded unparalleled advances in the works of England's playwrights. Among the more noticeable changes were the emergence of powerful female characters and most notably, the exploitation of the figure of the classic unruly female. A dramatic device attributed to the introduction of tension, the unruly female throughout literary history has been demonized as a subversive component threatening to destabilize patriarchal society. Beowulf's Grendel, for example, is not nearly as threatening as the image of his mother, whose unchecked slaughter and insatiable appetite for human flesh are interpreted frequently as sexual connotations. Among Shakespeare's more recognized plays featuring the unruly woman is The Taming of the Shrew, whose primary protagonist (or antagonist, depending on which section of the play is in question) Katherine is the challenge her suitor must conquer, or tame. Socially repugnant, Katherine is the opposite of the accepted figure of the demure, polite female. A cantankerous woman, her separation from society is equally as daunting as her active refusal to adopt the traits of her more accepted sister Bianca.

Please note: The above dissertation snippet was written by a student and then submitted to us to display and help others. Thanks to all the students who have submitted their work to us.